How much do you think Romeo brought his downfall on himself? How much sympathy do you have for him?

The tragic situation perhaps would have had a diffent end if Romeo had not killed Tybalt. Killing Tybaly led on to being banished from the city. There he was cut away from the news and did not know what was happening, leading t him believeing his love was dead. Romeo was a person, with a brain and feelings and intuitions as well as intellegence (we can see him making intelegnt puns with mercutio). He could have prevented his downfall easilly, and had many ocasions to do so. He could have not married Julet, or killed Tybalt or even he could have followed his intutition and not go to the party at the start of the play. As he had a feeling that somehting bad was going to happen there. These argument speak for the statemtnt that 'Romeo brought his downfall on himself'

There is as well the other point of view that Romeos dowfall wasn't all his fault.

To some point, I think that we can blame the family due for the downfall. If the familes were not involved in a long term fight, then Romeo and Juleiet would have been able to marry freely and not in fear of what their parents might say. Romeo and Tybalt would not have had a fight in the first place (since most probobly Tybalt would not have minded if Romeo had been at the party) that ended up with death Romeo as a result of that would not hav been banished from Verona.

As well, we can also say the fact that Romeo killed Tybalt wasn't entirley his foult. It was Mercutuio, Romeo's best friend that strated the fight with Tybalt. Roemo simply had to conitnue in the name fo a friend that Tybaly had killed.

Romeo is just a perosn, like any one of us. We can't help who we love and can not controll are feelings. They tend to be stronger then us.Therefore the fact that he kept seeing his love may be seen as a way to his downfall but it does not neccessarly mean that he himself is responsible for it. After all, how many of us could help not seeing the one we love especially if that person loved us back like Juliet did.

Romeo thought that Juleit was dead because Balthasar had told him so and letters from Verona did not reach him. As a result of this what he had thoughtrue and tragic news Romeo only saw one option; to kill himslef. However, if the letters had arived or he would have not found out that Julet lies in the Capulets tumb then he would have not killed himnself and therefore there would be no downfall.

There are other things that can bee seen as influences on Romeos downfall. Such as F. Lawrence who married the couple, while knowing that concequences might be bad. Or even Juleit who agreed to maryy Romeo. After all 'it takes two to tango"

Ofcourse one can look at it that really in the end it all came down to fate. Fate is mentioned a few times in the book so perhaps it is a message from the author that a human has no power over his life that in the end its pure fate. "I fear, too earlt; for my mind misgives some consequences, yet hanging in the stars, Shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night's revels, and expire the term of a dispised life closed in my breast, by some vile forfeit of untimely death"

As to the question how much sympathy do I have for Romeo then the answear would have to be quite a lot. I myself belive that a lot of our lives is up to fate and already our life is pre predicted. We just follow a path set for us. Therefore Romeo really had no influence over what he was doing as it was all aready planned ahead. Also the tragic end he met, I dont think was only his fault. Julet was invloved and so were a lot of other things. Such as the long term dispute between familes, that was the cause of so many horrible deaths and fights in the book.

Another reason why I have sympathy for Romeo, is because he was in love. Love is a crazy, wonderfull fieling that may inflience the way people act. Romeo couldnt help loving Juliet,a dn couldnt just back out of the love. Especially since she loved him. I feel sorry for him that what started of as a wonderfull love ended up so tragically.

However I can see why some people may not sympathise with Romeo. They may feel that his love for Julet was not true as he thought he had loved Roslaine and then he suddenly started loving the next 'pretty gilrs he saw'. Therefore as his love wasnt true, there is no point sympathing for somebody that dies for un true love. As well one may say that Romeo was intellegent and could have stoped for a momment and thoguth things over, and would have seen how wrong things look. Then he would not meet his own downfall.

However, I feel his love was true as afterall he died to be with Juliet, and in my eyes a man would only do that if his love was true.